Johnny Knox

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1986)}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Johnny Knox

| image = Johnny Knox Chicago Bears warmup 2009.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Knox during the 2009 season

| number = 13

| position = Wide receiver
Return specialist

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|11|3|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Houston, Texas, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 0

| weight_lbs = 185

| high_school = Channelview {{nowrap|(Channelview, Texas)}}{{Cite news |date=2018 |title=Notable Alumni |publisher=Houston Class Mates |url=http://channelview.houstonclassmates.com/FamousAlumni.asp?ID=1425 |access-date=October 24, 2018 |archive-date=October 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181024035419/http://channelview.houstonclassmates.com/FamousAlumni.asp?ID=1425 |url-status=dead }}

| college = {{ubl|Tyler JC (2005–2006)|Abilene Christian (2007–2008)}}

| draftyear = 2009

| draftround = 5

| draftpick = 140

| pastteams = * Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|2009}}–{{NFL Year|2012}})

| highlights = * Pro Bowl (2009)

| pastcoaching = * Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2015)
Seasonal intern

| statlabel1 = Receptions

| statvalue1 = 133

| statlabel2 = Receiving yards

| statvalue2 = 2,214

| statlabel3 = Return yards

| statvalue3 = 1,515

| statlabel6 = Total touchdowns

| statvalue6 = 13

| pfr = K/KnoxJo00

}}

Johnny Otis Knox II (born November 3, 1986) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for three seasons with the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Abilene Christian University. He was selected by Bears as the 140th overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft. Knox's career abruptly ended after sustaining a severe spinal injury in 2011. When it became apparent he would never be cleared to play again, he retired in 2013. Knox was also a coaching intern for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015.

Early life

After graduating in 2005 from Channelview High School in Channelview, Texas, Knox enrolled at Tyler Junior College. As a sophomore at Tyler, he led all junior college receivers with 884 yards and 12 touchdowns. Rivals.com rated him as the No. 9 junior college receiver in the class of 2007, and he transferred to Abilene Christian University to play for the Abilene Christian Wildcats football team. He went into his first season at Abilene Christian listed as a backup wide receiver, but he quickly moved into a starting role. He finished the season with 62 receptions for 1,158 yards and a school-record 17 touchdowns. He finished third in Division II in 2007 in touchdown receptions, while racking up the fourth-most receiving yards in a season in Abilene Christian history.

While garnering more attention from defenses in 2008, Knox still racked up 56 receptions for 1,069 yards and 13 touchdowns. Knox helped Abilene Christian start 11–0 before losing in the third round of the Division II playoffs. His 30 touchdown receptions in two seasons were the most in Abilene Christian history, and he earned second-team All-America honors in 2008. After the 2008 season, Knox was invited to participate in the 2009 Texas vs The Nation all-star game, where he had three receptions for 55 yards and caught a touchdown pass from David Johnson in a losing effort for the Texas team.{{Cite web |title=Nation Edges Texas 27-24 In Third Annual Texas vs. the Nation Game | Seattle Seahawks 12th Man Army |url=http://seahawknationblog.com/2009/01/nation-edges-texas-27-24-in-third-annual-texas-vs-the-nation-game/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170217064653/http://seahawknationblog.com/2009/01/nation-edges-texas-27-24-in-third-annual-texas-vs-the-nation-game/ |archive-date=February 17, 2017 |access-date=August 3, 2012}}

Professional career

=2009 NFL Combine=

{{nfl predraft

| height ft = 6

| height in = 0

| weight = 185

| dash = 4.34

| ten split = 1.47

| twenty split = 2.53

| shuttle = 4.15

| cone drill = 6.81

| vertical = 35

| broad ft = 10

| broad in = 2

| bench =

| wonderlic =

| arm span =

| hand span =

| note = All values from NFL Combine

}}

=Chicago Bears=

Knox joined the Chicago Bears after being chosen in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL draft with the 140th overall pick.{{Cite web |title=2009 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2009/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He caught his first NFL pass, a 68-yard reception, on September 13, 2009, against the Green Bay Packers. During the second game of the 2009 season (against the Pittsburgh Steelers), Knox recorded his first NFL touchdown catch on a key third down to tie the game up 14–14. He recorded another touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks, a seven-yard reception. In the fourth game of the season, against the Detroit Lions, he scored a touchdown on a 102-yard kickoff return.{{Cite web |date=July 25, 2012 |title=Knox stays positive on road to recovery |url=http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?STORY_ID=8916 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728024503/http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=8916 |archive-date=July 28, 2012 |access-date=August 3, 2012 |publisher=Chicagobears.com}} Two weeks later, after a bye week, Knox caught a 60-yard touchdown from Jay Cutler. On November 29, 2009, Knox returned a kickoff 77 yards to set up a Bears field goal versus the Vikings.{{Cite news |date=November 29, 2009 |title=Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings - November 29th, 2009 |work=Pro-Football-Reference.com |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200911290min.htm |access-date=December 18, 2016}}

Knox sustained a season-ending ankle injury against the Vikings. He finished the 2009 season with 45 receptions for 527 yards and five touchdowns. Knox ranked second in the NFL for return yard average with 29.0. On January 25, 2010, Knox was selected to the NFC roster for the 2010 Pro Bowl, replacing Minnesota's Percy Harvin, who withdrew due to injury concerns.{{Cite web |title=Bears' Knox added to Pro Bowl roster | date=January 26, 2010 |url=https://www.espn.com/chicago/nfl/news/story?id=4857868 |access-date=October 20, 2010 |publisher=ESPN Chicago}} Knox returned four kicks for 103 yards in his Pro Bowl debut. He was also targeted on two passes as a wide receiver, but failed to log a reception.{{Cite news |title=Bears' Knox not half bad in his Pro Bowl debut |work=Chicago Tribune |url=http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/01/bears-knox-bottled-up-in-pro-bowl.html |access-date=February 1, 2010}}

In 2010, Knox led the Bears in receiving yards (960), and tied for first in the team for receptions (51) and receiving touchdowns (5). In 2011, he led the Bears in receiving yards (727) and ranked second in the NFL in yards per reception (19.6).

On December 18, 2011, Knox sustained a serious spinal cord injury during a game against the Seattle Seahawks.{{Cite web |title=Johnny Knox to undergo back surgery |date=December 18, 2011 |url=https://www.espn.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/id/7365713/chicago-bears-johnny-knox-undergo-surgery-big-hit |access-date=December 18, 2011 |publisher=ESPN}} He collided with Anthony Hargrove head-on while attempting to recover a fumble. Knox required immediate surgery to stabilize an injured vertebra, but maintained sensation in all limbs following the incident. Hargrove later expressed remorse for his role in the injury.{{Cite news |last=McClure |first=Vaughn |date=December 1, 2012 |title=Hargrove remorseful regarding hit on Knox |work=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/bears/ct-xpm-2012-12-01-ct-spt-1202-bears-chicago-20121202-story.html |access-date=December 18, 2016}} The Bears placed Knox on injured reserve the following day.{{Cite news |last=McClure, Vaughn and Brad Biggs |date=December 19, 2011 |title=Conte placed on IR; Bears add to roster |work=Chicago Tribune |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-conte-placed-on-ir-20111219,0,6706580.story |access-date=December 19, 2011}}

Knox started the 2012 NFL season on Chicago's 'physically unable-to-perform' (PUP) list. He was unable to fully recover from the injury even after extensive rehabilitation and therapy.{{Cite news |last=Wright |first=Michael |date=February 3, 2015 |title=Johnny Knox: 'I'm pressing forward' |work=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/bears/post/_/id/4697185/johnny-knox-im-pressing-forward |access-date=February 3, 2015}} After the injury, Knox walked with a limp and was unable to stand without discomfort.{{Cite news |last=Rosenthal |first=Gregg |date=February 13, 2013 |title=Johnny Knox won't play football again: 'I'm moving on' |work=NFL.com |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/johnny-knox-won-t-play-football-again-i-m-moving-on-0ap1000000138934 |access-date=December 18, 2016}} The Bears released Knox on February 12, 2013.{{Cite web |last=Mayer |first=Larry |date=February 12, 2013 |title=Bears terminate contract of Johnny Knox |url=http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-terminate-contract-of-Johnny-Knox/d52ce519-89f5-43bb-bb3c-5a6c81271f56 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130819024123/http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-terminate-contract-of-Johnny-Knox/d52ce519-89f5-43bb-bb3c-5a6c81271f56 |archive-date=August 19, 2013 |access-date=February 12, 2013 |publisher=Chicago Bears}} He announced his retirement on February 13.{{Cite news |date=February 13, 2013 |title=Ex-Bears wide receiver Knox decides to retire |work=Yahoo! Sports |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/report-ex-bears-wr-knoxs-190122075--nfl.html |access-date=February 13, 2013}}

Post-playing career

On July 31, 2015, Knox was hired by former Bears head coach Lovie Smith as a coaching intern with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.{{Cite web |date=July 31, 2015 |title=Bucs Hire Camp Fellowship Coaches, Scout |url=http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-1/Bucs-Hire-Camp-Fellowship-Coaches-Scout/6c038af7-ee82-458d-9930-05ff7a1c6089 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180610070922/http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-1/Bucs-Hire-Camp-Fellowship-Coaches-Scout/6c038af7-ee82-458d-9930-05ff7a1c6089 |archive-date=June 10, 2018 |access-date=July 31, 2015 |website=Tampa Bay Buccaneers}}

In 2018, he and former Bear Nathan Vasher joined the football staff at Carmel High School, where they worked under another former Bear in Blake Annen. The three had previously worked together at EFT Football Academy in Highland Park.{{Cite news |last=Hammond |first=Sean |date=July 22, 2019 |title=3 ex-Bears coach at Carmel Catholic |work=Northwest Herald |url=https://www.nwherald.com/2019/07/21/3-ex-bears-coach-at-carmel-catholic/afgu197/ |access-date=January 5, 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Personal life

Knox and his wife have four children.{{Cite web |last=Mayer |first=Larry |date=December 22, 2012 |title=Johnny Knox continuing to battle back from injury |url=http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Johnny-Knox-continuing-to-battle-back-from-injury/63f295cb-7819-4410-ad7c-8607955dbda2 |access-date=December 22, 2012 |publisher=Chicago Bears |archive-date=December 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121225034050/http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Johnny-Knox-continuing-to-battle-back-from-injury/63f295cb-7819-4410-ad7c-8607955dbda2 |url-status=dead }}

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20090311040944/http://www.acusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=40870&SPID=3615&DB_OEM_ID=8900&ATCLID=1249235&Q_SEASON=2008 Abilene Christian Wildcats bio]

Category:1986 births

Category:Living people

Category:Abilene Christian Wildcats football players

Category:American football return specialists

Category:American football wide receivers

Category:Chicago Bears players

Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players

Category:Players of American football from Houston

Category:Tyler Apaches football players

Category:Brian Piccolo Award winners